Back On The Saddle
by 7thxheavenxx
Summary: Three months after Michelle's accident, Jesse wants to encourage Michelle to horseback ride again, but both her and Danny are scared. Jesse decides to go against Danny's wishes and try to help her. Will they be able to get past their fear? One-shot.


Michelle spent her Saturday afternoon glued in front of the television watching cartoons. She didn't necessarily want to, but all her friends had plans and her family was too busy to do anything with her. Joey was the only one home with her and even he was too wrapped up with coming up with material for an audition at a comedy club.

Jesse arrived home and walked in through the front door. Michelle was still sitting exactly where she was when he left that morning. "Michelle what are you still doing in front of the T.V.? Have you even moved since I left hours ago?"

Michelle kept her eyes on the television. "I fed Comet."

Jesse shook his head. Seeing her waste the day away bothered him. "Munchkin this is unacceptable. You can't waste your childhood like this. You need to find something else to do."

"Like what? None of my friends can hang out today, Stephanie is with Gia, Becky took the twins to their dentist appointment, you and Dad were gone, D.J.'s away at school and Joey's busy making jokes. I don't have anything else to do," Michelle pointed out.

"Well we need to find you something. What about a sport or a club? You used to play soccer," Jesse suggested.

"I _hated_ soccer," Michelle reminded him. "I was no good at it."

"Oh right," Jesse remembered. "You could dance like Stephanie. Or there's baseball, swimming, tennis, horseback riding...oh yeah, you loved horseback riding!"

"I'm never horseback riding again!" Michelle snubbed the thought.

"Why not? Because of your fall?" Jesse asked.

"Don't you remember Uncle Jesse? I couldn't remember anything after I hit my head! I didn't even know who you guys were!" Michelle clearly was afraid.

Jesse decided to try to encourage her to try again with a story. "Michelle you know how much I love my motorcycle. When I started riding I rode too fast around a curve and I wiped out. It was a miracle I made it out with only a couple broken ribs and a broken wrist. After that I was afraid to ride again and I swore I was done with my bike. Then one day after I had healed I was hanging out with some of my buddies. They were all on their bikes and I saw how much fun they were having, and I hated that I was missing out on all the fun. The next day I decided to give my bike another try and I didn't get hurt! I loved riding again ever since. You get what I'm sayin'?"

Michelle understood the message. "You're saying I need to ride horses again. I'm not you though. I loved riding horses but I don't anymore. Not after the accident."

"You need to get over your fear or you will miss out on a lot of fun," Jesse pushed.

"Look I'm not riding again so stop trying to make me!" Michelle raised her voice and ran upstairs to her room.

* * *

><p>Later that evening after dinner Danny was washing dishes. Jesse came into the kitchen to grab a soda.<p>

"Michelle seemed rather quiet at dinner tonight. Do you know what could be bothering her?" Danny asked.

"I have an idea," Jesse took a sip of his soda and continued. "I tried encouraging her to take up horseback riding again and she didn't like it."

Danny looked at him sternly. "Jess I don't want her horseback riding again. That hobby is too dangerous."

"Danny when I left this morning she was sitting in front of the couch watching the television. When I returned five or six hours later she was still sitting there. That's no way to live! She needs a hobby," Jesse tried to get him to see where he was coming from.

"I agree that she needs to do something besides sit on the couch. I'll talk to her about that. Horseback riding however is out of the question! She got seriously injured last time and I'm not risking that happening again," Danny said.

"If you put her in any sport she can get hurt. Swimming, she could drown. Baseball, she could get hit with a ball. Track, she can trip over her shoelace and break her leg," Jesse listed.

"She can follow in her fathers footsteps and join the chess club! She won't get hurt by saying checkmate," Danny smiled.

Jesse rolled his eyes. "No, but she'll get hurt by all the bullies who torment her for being a geek. I know what happened was traumatic. I was scared out of my mind too when she got hurt. You can't keep her in a bubble forever though Danny. Horseback riding is something she loves and not helping her overcome her fear isn't helping her."

Danny shook his head. "It's too soon. I'm putting my foot down with this one. She's not riding again anytime in the near future."

"Danny," Jesse pleaded.

"I'm her father and I'm saying no! We'll find something else for her to do on the weekends," Danny wouldn't back down.

* * *

><p>Jesse spent the rest of the night thinking about the situation. He understood why Danny didn't want her to try horseback riding again, but he knew deep down if she tried it again she would remember how much she loves it and the family wouldn't be afraid anymore. He hated seeing her hold back. Jesse's 'live every day like it's your last' attitude got the best of him and he decided he would defy Danny and try to get Michelle to ride again.<p>

The next morning Jesse was the first one up. He eagerly waited around until Michelle woke up. When she finally did wake up the first thing she did was grab the remote.

"Ah, ah, ah! You won't be touching that remote today young lady," Jesse informed her.

"What?" Michelle was taken aback.

"You and I are getting out of the house today. I have somewhere special I want to take you," Jesse explained.

"Where are we going?" Michelle wondered.

"It's a surprise! Go upstairs and get ready," Jesse ordered.

"Okay," Michelle said. She was intrigued by the surprise so she got ready as fast as she could.

About forty-five minutes later Jesse and Michelle arrived at the 'special place' which turned out to be the same place Danny took her horseback riding at three months ago. Once Michelle realized where they were she was not the least bit happy.

"I told you I'm not riding again Uncle Jesse!" Michelle shouted.

Jesse got down to her level and looked her in the eye. "Listen to me Michelle. We will start real slow. I will be walking beside you the whole way. There's no way you will get hurt, okay? Trust your Uncle J on this one."

"Why should I? You betrayed me by bringing me here," Michelle crossed her arms.

"You'll see," Jesse replied.

Jesse handed her the bag of her horseback riding clothes he secretly packed and had her go in the bathroom to put them on. Once she was done, one of the employees brought a horse over to them and agreed to help him get Michelle comfortable again. She stepped back in fear but Jesse nudged her to walk toward it. The employee helped her on.

"We will trot very slowly in a circle to get you comfortable with horses again," the employee said.

"I'm scared," Michelle whined.

"You'll be okay," the employee assured her.

For the first few minutes Michelle clung on to the horse tightly. After she kept going and realized she was okay, the fear she felt was starting to fade away. She loosened her grip and the joy the once felt while riding horses was beginning to return. Jesse saw the smile return to her face and he knew his plan was working.

"Can we go a little faster?" Michelle asked.

"Sure, but no jumps yet okay? We will work up to that," the employee answered.

"Okay," Michelle agreed.

After about twenty minutes she was riding just as well as she was before.

"She certainly looks comfortable now," the employee said to Jesse. "Why don't you try riding with your niece?"

"No, no, no," Jesse shook his head.

"Come on Uncle Jesse! You made me do it so you should do it too," Michelle encouraged.

"She has a point," the employee said.

"Fine. Give me the slowest, most well-behaved horse you got," Jesse gave in.

Jesse and Michelle rode their horses together for the next hour until Jesse decided it was time to go home.

"I want to come back next weekend," Michelle said.

"Now that's what I want to hear," Jesse smiled.

"You were right. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I was just afraid," Michelle admitted.

"I don't blame you sweetheart. The important thing is you want to do something you love again," Jesse hugged her and they walked to the car.

Michelle was still wearing her horseback riding gear when her and Jesse walked in. Danny was sitting on the couch and his eyes bugged out when he saw Jesse went behind his back and had her ride.

"What did we just talk about Jesse?" Danny shouted.

"I did this for Michelle's own good," Jesse defended himself.

"Uncle Jesse's right dad. I was terrified at first but once I realized it was okay I had a lot of fun. I don't want to stop riding," Michelle said.

"Honey I know Uncle Jesse had good intentions but I just don't want you riding again. I can't handle something like what happened last time happening again," Danny admitted.

"It won't. I'll be more careful. Please dad?" Michelle begged.

"Let me talk to your uncle for a few minutes okay? We can discuss it in a bit," Danny replied.

Michelle did as she was told and went upstairs to her room. Danny looked at Jesse like he wanted to strangle him.

"How would you like it if you told me specifically not to do something with Nicky and Alex and I did it anyway?" Danny raised his voice.

Jesse sighed. "I'd probably kill you. I know you're upset but.."

"But nothing! _I'm_ Michelle's parent. I'm grateful for all you have done to help raise her but you really crossed the line here," Danny exclaimed.

"I know and I'm sorry, but you should have seen how happy she was. That was a smile I haven't seen from her in a long time. Look just take her yourself next weekend and watch her. If you still feel the same way then I won't push this anymore," Jesse tried coaxing him.

"I'll admit I'm happy to see her excited about something again. I'll go watch her next weekend and see if I can handle it yet or not," Danny replied.

"Fair enough," Jesse nodded.

"Just promise me you won't go behind my back again and do things with my girls that I specifically forbid," Danny requested.

"I promise," Jesse agreed. Danny accepted it and went in for a hug which Jesse reciprocated.

"Well I'll go talk to Michelle," Danny said.

The next weekend Danny went and took Michelle riding like he said he would. After watching her enjoy herself, he was still really scared but he decided to let her ride again as long as she promised to be careful. Michelle Tanner was finally back on the saddle.


End file.
